Nassau police say phone caller posed as cop in gift card scam
Nassau County police are warning residents of a telephone scam to defraud them of cash through gift cards.
Police said a 60-year-old New Hyde Park man received a phone call with a number labeled as "Nassau County Police" from someone telling him he had an outstanding warrant in another state. The caller told the man to withdraw $15,000 cash to buy gift cards, police said.
The man received multiple phone calls asking him to read off serial numbers of gift cards, leading to a loss of $4,700, police said. The man became suspicious after calls from multiple phone numbers and reported the scam to police.
Police are urging residents to watch for vulnerable seniors, friends and neighbors who could fall prey to similar scams. Officials said Nassau County police will never call to request money.
Police are asking anyone with information to call Nassau County Crime Stoppers at 800-244-TIPS or call 911.
John Asbury is a breaking news and general assignment reporter. He has been with Newsday since 2014 and previously worked at The Press-Enterprise in Riverside, California.
